A Special Order

[Eugen Aker]

Lynx Hotel, Izrul Coast, Kiribi (Evening)

In an undisclosed suite, Suravi awaited the arrival of Arisa with a representative from Archangel. Because of the nature of the coming meeting, she didn't want to be seen in the same place with them at any of her properties. The suite she currently occupied had been taken under an alias, with the meeting to occur in the dead of night.

She had sent Arisa to fetch the representative right from the nearby space port, and then chauffauer them to the hotel for the meeting.

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

((I'm not sure who to tag IC, so I left the identity of the representative unknown.))

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]


Archangel prided itself on producing high-quality products, especially HRDs, that were tailored towards their clients' needs. It was understandable that a number of their clients, especially those in high-profile positions, desired a degree of discretion.


Needless to say Archangel was ready to oblige. Thus it was that Ms. Scarlett had been chosen to represent Archangel in the business negotiations with the Senator. She was actually one of the newest models of HRD. Able to emulate organic behaviour and emotions to a degree that was almost perfect. Probably the unit that was the most 'human'. She was also a lot less well-known than either of the directors, but had power to negotiate in their name.


She was picked up by Suravi's aide at the spaceport and quickly chauffeured to the shiny hotel. Wasting no time, she made her way to the suite where the senator was waiting for her. Presumably she was checked for weapons before entering and handed over her hold-out blaster to the senator's bodyguards without protest.

 

[Eugen Aker]

If it wasn't for her thorough inspection of Miss Scarlett before her meeting with with Senator Teigra, and prior knowledge of Archangel, then she would have never began to suspect that the true nature of the representative. If they had passed each other on the street, then Arisa would have never given her a second look. That was a good thing in her book, it meant Teigra would be getting her credit's worth.

The short drive to the hotel was a quiet affair, Arisa herself not much one for small talk with strangers, while Miss Scarlett seemed content to remain mum.

At the hotel, Arisa led Scarlett to Suravi's suite, which was on the lowest level that led right out to the lake front. An intentional choice, which put Teigra in close reach of a second getaway craft in case a hasty exit was required. When Scarlett offered up her blaster for Arisa, she declined out of respect.

"Keep it. If she didn't trust you enough to meet in person, then you wouldn't have been invited in the first place."

She formally announced her presence to give Suravi a moment to prepare, then unlocked the door for them both to enter.

((I'm going to follow this post up with a response from Suravi, so please hold off until posting until then. Thanks.))

 

[Eugen Aker]

Suravi would be standing to receive both Arisa and Miss Scarlett at the doorway, a soft smile on her face. She gave Arisa a nod of acknowledgement, then her bodyward would stand off to the side in the hallway to allow the Archangel representative face the Kiribian Senator. The door would slide shut behind the pair after entry.

"Greetings, Miss Scarlett, thank you for meeting with me tonight. I will make sure that you are compensated for all traveling expenses related to this consultation session."

She offered a hand to the other woman to shake. Or what at least appeared as a woman. The former Jedi's senses were much keener than Arisa's, and she had been expecting some sort of demonstration during the consultation, so she determined the true nature of the representative right off the bat. She still found the infiltrator impressive none the less, something that would easily pass the scrutiny of most.

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]


The suite was very comfortable and shiny in a classy way. Clearly a sign of the wealth and influence its owner possessed. Speaking of the lady, she had physical features many organics would consider attractive and appealing. Being a droid, albeit a sophisticated infiltration model even Forcers would have difficulty detecting, Callisto was not distracted by such things.


"Thank you for receiving me, Senator. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Directors Alderana and Comnena extend their greetings to you," Callisto said smoothly. She smiled warmly and accepted the proferred hand, shaking it. The redhead's grip was firm, but not crushing.


After all, breaking your potential client's bones because you didn't know your strength would be...awkward! She released the senator's hand. The representative was dressed in an elegant but conservative pants suit. Her red hair was worn in a bob cut. "I got a good view of the city during the flight. I must say it's lovely," she added. "How may Archangel be of service to you? I understand you're interested in purchasing HRD units. The directors have given me authority to negotiate on their behalf."

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Thank you, we work hard to keep Izrul pristine."

The bustling metropolis stretched for hundreds of kilometers across the continent, but the aesthetically minded Kiribians had managed to maintain the beauty of the cityscape over the millennia with strict policies of careful central planning and ordinances. All together, the Kiribian capital was an architectural marvel that rivaled the likes of New Aldera. When the ex-Jedi had assumed her new identity, it had been an easy choice to return to her homeworld Kiribi to set up shop.

Suravi exited the hall for the living room. The suite was quite spacious, resembling something closer to a condo than a hotel room. In the living room, she had retook the far chair she had been occupying only moments before, then motioned for Miss Scarlett to take a seat. Arisa entered the living room as well, but she took her spot at the piano. She gave the enamel keys a single playful trill before settling down to fiddle with a small tablet from her back pocket.

"Your HRD units do interest me greatly. These are quite dangerous times we find ourselves in now, so I would feel much safer with some enhanced security. However, I have a few questions to ask before I can commit to a purchase. How sophisticated is the programming of the basic HRD model in comparison to a top of the line infiltrator? When it comes to combat effectiveness, is there any real difference between the tiers?"

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]


Callisto followed Suravi into the living room of the spacious suite, taking in the place on the way. Once the senator had sat down, she did a same, crossing one long, athletic leg over the other. Her seemingly delicate hands were folded in her lap.


She listened attentively while her host spoke. "I can elaborate on this, Senator. On a basic level, combat skills are similar between our four HRD tiers. There's no difference in strength, ability to use a blaster and so on. You could purchase a standard HRD with a basic male or female template and it would be a very competent bodyguard, assistant and so on. However, the personality would be a basic, programmed one. A more advanced variant can be completely customised in terms of appearance, race and so on. Moreover, it would possess a far more developed personality, identity and capacity for innovative thought. None of our HRDs need to be micromanaged like the battle droids of the ancient TradeFed, but a more advanced unit would be better equipped to respond to serious threats to your person. Especially in situations where a scalpel rather than a hammer is required," Callisto explained smoothly.


The redhead produced a datapad and pressed a button, bringing forth a holographic projection that would outline the capabilities of various tiers. If needed, she could provide further elaboration.


"For our upper tier variants, we can also include sophisticated protocols geared towards fighting Force-Users. Our deluxe version is the near-perfect replica of a human or humanoid being via scanned brain pattern. These are obviously the most efficient versions and make reliable body doubles. We also have an HRD model we termed the Infiltrator. This our most efficient infiltration unit because its body is composed of a polymer skeleton rather than a metal one, so that most scans fail to detect them. However, though superior to an organic, they are weaker fighters than our usual models because their bodies are less durable." Those were made for longer-term infiltration, not combat.

 

[Eugen Aker]

As she had already reviewed the catalogue in depth before the meeting, she only gave Scarlett's hologram readouts a quick skim to pick out any new information.

"If that's the case, then I would like to make and order for 30 of your standard human HRD Models, and 8 of your deluxe human HRD models. I don't have any candidates on hand for brain digitizing, so I would like you to program the deluxe models with a profile optimized for personal security, and special operations like hostage rescue and direct action. Essentially, commandos. I also have a requirement that I'm able to install some proprietary hardware for reliable superluminal communication."

She was referring to her own Bio-Comm units, a device she had developed during her time running Panacea. Unlike other superluminal communication systems out there, like sub-space transceivers, hers was virtually immune to jamming.

"I can have technicians from Panacea deployed to your facilities to aide in hardware integration, and the development of appropriate software drivers."

"Can you meet my specifications for this order?"

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]


Callisto cocked her head slightly. Internally the droid was making some calculations, though she finished these within the blink of an eye. "That's perfectly doable, Senator. The standard HRDs will be easily and promptly manufactured. We can also accommodate you with the deluxe version. If you don't any digitisation candidates available, that's no problem. Thanks to our work with capable veterans from various galactic militaries and security forces, we have the appropriate templates available that will meet your specifications. You'll have the ideal bodyguards," she replied with a smile.


A deceptively genuine one. "It will also be possible to install the comm hardware you want. We'd appreciate the assistance of your technicians in doing so after we've built the HRDs." After all, the bio-comms were unfamiliar hardware for Archangel.


"Thirty standard HRDs would cost seventy-five million credits, eight deluxe hundred twenty million." Archangel wouldn't charge extra for integrating the special hardware since Suravi's technicians would be helping and they were already making a lot of money.

 

[Eugen Aker]

The final sum was a hefty price to pay, but the wealthy Senator had very deep pockets from her centuries of running Panacea. She could have ordered more that night, but she wanted to put this first batch through their paces before thinking about acquiring more. It was her hope that Archangel would turn out to be a dependable supplier she could rely on for the foreseeable future.

"Excellent. I'll have my accountant wire the funds in the morning. Arisa will be accompanying the technicians who depart for your facilities. I want her there to test the HRDs in some exercises before they're shipped to me. I can round everyone up to leave with you the day after tomorrow if that's acceptable."

She had already given the current Pancea CEO, Hailey Soreson, some advance notice that she would be plucking some of her old team members for a special project, though none of them had yet to be notified. Outside of her personal circle, she didn't want anyone discussing her purchase of the androids without a non-disclosure agreement signed.

"Until you decide to depart yourself, please enjoy this suite. All expenses have been covered for the next week, including room service."

Now it was her turn to smile, as she assumed Miss Scarlett probably wouldn't be taking advantage of that particular amenity.

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]



Archangel would get a hefty sum of money to finance its endeavours, Suravi would get a cadre of elite kill bots. Win-win. And people said that capitalism couldn't give you a fair deal. Silly Selectivists. "That is satisfactory, Senator. Your people are welcome to accompany me and see the units in action. I can assure you that you won't be disappointed with their performance." Organising demonstrations for the product was nothing new, so Archangel could easily accomodate that. Same applied to the technicians helping install the special comm hardware in the HRDs without either side unduly revealing trade secrets.


Then the Senator granted her permission to enjoy the hospitality of this suite, including room service. Like Guri, who could be considered the great ancestor of the new generation of HRDs, Callisto was capable of drinking and eating, though she obviously didn't need to. The fact that HRDs couldn't be poisoned came in handy since some wealthy clients liked to have a reliable food taster to check for poisons. "That's a very gracious offer, Senator. Thank you for your hospitality. It's a pleasure for Archangel to do business with you," she said with a smile. Her teeth were obviously perfectly set and white.

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Then that does it. I will begin making the preparations. Thank you again for meeting with me."

She rose from her chair, giving Scarlett a friendly pat on the shoulder as she passed. On the surface, she felt the infiltrator teeming with life, but that feeling only went skin deep. Just a pretty shell for the cold machinery underneath.

Arisa started toying with the piano again as the meeting had concluded, producing a string of seemingly random notes until she settled into a real composition for a short while as Suravi gathered her things to leave.

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Suravi Teigra"]


"The pleasure was all mine, Senator. I will inform my superiors," Callisto said softly, warmly. So deceptively human. Unlike the old HRD models such as the vaunted Guri, her body temperature was not ten percent cooler than the human norm. Technology had advanced a lot since the days of the Galactic Empire, despite the Gulag Virus putting a damper on things and tossing galactic civilisation back into the dark ages for four centuries.


The Metal Princess cocked her head slightly, watching Arisa play on the piano. "That's nice. You're very talented," she spoke, humming along with the piano melody. Could she actually appreciate something as beautiful and 'human' as music? Or had she just been programmed to understand what organics would consider a good composition? Perhaps the truth lay somewhere in between.

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Thank you, it's a passion."

Arisa took Miss Scarlett's compliment at face value, not worrying about her sincerity.

Now sucked into her playing, she shifted to a lighter tune. It had been such a long time since she had touched a physical keyboard, so she relished every moment. She had never been quite satisfied with the synthesized sounds of the more ubiquitous digitals models. Though being a mostly broke Jedi until very recently, she took what she could get. This one could stand for a little tuning.

Even as she felt Suravi's attention on her, she continued for few minutes more.

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Arisa Yune"]


HRDs were facsimiles of sentient life. Designed to infiltrate, blend in among organics and commit acts of violence at the behest of their controllers. Efficiently and dispassionately. The debate about what constituted sentiency was age-old. As was the question of where you drew the line between synthetic and organic life, when the former had been created in the image of the latter.


Regardless, Callisto looked like she appreciated the play while Arisa played the piano. It would have been soothing and relaxing to an organic mind. Well, one that was cultured enough to appreciate such music at any rate.


"Ms. Alderana is very fond of it. Baech is her favourite composer. She likes the Old Republic classics. Where did you learn to play like that?" she said conversationally. Once Suravi had finished getting her stuff, Callisto would escort her out of the suite, as was prim and proper. If needed, she could help carry things.

 

[Eugen Aker]

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

"Baech is nice. I'm a fan of Joupen myself when it comes to the classics." She shifted again into playing one of his compositions.

"I received instruction during my time at the Coruscanti temple, from one of the Libriarians responsible for maintaining our music repositories. Master Lirr Garamin. I had always had an interest in playing instruments before then, but I lacked the means at the time."

On Plexis, Arisa had trouble keeping her mother from pawning her cracked datapad. Even if she had somehow managed to acquire an instrument, something that valuable would have surely been snatched in no time.

"Trillions of tracks acquired from thousands of systems over the centuries. It pains me to see all of it lost to the Sith. The Jedi had long since learned to back up information to remote servers, but there were so many physical pages and aritifacts left to be scanned and archived."

It was a sad thing, though by far the worst part about it all was the death of Liir himself. There is no death, there is the Force. The Jedi code had long been drilled into her head, and she understood it, but she still felt robbed in the knowledge that he would never be there to stand beside her in seeing the library again.

That would be her last piece for the night. She picked up her things and gave Miss Scarlett a small bow before joining Suravi in the hallway to leave. The next time she would be seeing Scarlett again would probably be at local spaceport. Until then, she had her own preperations to make in her upcoming tests for the androids.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Valiens Nantaris"]


Callisto politely escorted Suravi and her aide out of the suite and said her farewells to them. Then she closed the door of the fancy place. All expenses had been covered by the Senator, but Suravi would not have to foot a massive bill because the android had rather basic needs.


Said needs did not extend towards room service, Pay TV or call girls/boys. Droids did not have time for frivolous things like that. Rather they could focus all their attention on doing actual work. Thus Callisto sent a transmission to the two directors of Archangel, reporting that the business deal had been a success and that the senator's aide and technicians would accompany her to the Archangel facility to see the HRDs in action and to help with installing certain software.


Affirmation was swift and prompt. Before she powered down to recharge and download updates, she listened to a Joupen play. There was a beauty, a melodic quality to it. It perplexed her that organics spent so much time on such frivolous things they called 'fun', but she could not deny the artistry. Perhaps they induldged themselves as a distraction from their own mortality.


Presumably at this point a time skip ensued. Two days hence from now, Callisto was waiting for Arisa at the Kiribi spaceport after having checked out at the hotel. Predictably the droid was right on time.

 

[Eugen Aker]

Arisa was a little late to the meetup with Miss Scarlett, but only because she had to take the time round up all the technicians that Suravi had tagged for this excursion. Some of them were still packing their luggage the morning she picked them up.

Now leading a small pack of techs, Arisa met the Archangel rep at the gatehouse for their transport. They would be riding in one of Panacea's ships for the trip, a nondescript freighter. The lightly armed shipped wasn't as nice a true passenger liner, but it wasn't as sparse as a basic cargo hauler either, sitting somewhere in the middle of comfort. For security purposes, she would have preferred to take her own ship, but it was still undergoing a major overhaul over at KSA.

When the techs had their luggage loaded, she took her position in the cockpit, running through pre-flight check. She waved Miss Scarlett on over to join her, eyes trained on the navigation console.

"I'm plotting an astrogation solution now, where are we heading exactly?"

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Arisa Yune"]


Sparing the techs a glance, Callisto followed Arisa onto the freighter. The ship was not the height of luxury, but one good thing about being a droid was that you didn't care for frivolous things and creature comforts. Unless you were defective in some way and had gone native, which necessitated thorough reprogramming.


While the techs saw to their luggage, the redhead joined the Senator's aide in the cockpit. "Lianna. We have large factories there. It's our main hub of operations in the east. I've already contacted my superiors," she replied smoothly, giving Arisa a smile. It was also far away from any conflict zones and thus the likelihood of quantum tunnelling Sith mucking around was quite low.

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Lianna, hmm?"

Arisa did a quick look up of the planet on the star charts. It was located within the Tion cluster - Coalition territory. There was slim of encountering Sith or any other hostile elements there, a fact which brought her some great relief as she was the one responsible for the safety of all Kiribians on board.

"Alright then, working on a navigation solution. For our safety, I'm going to try to keep us within Republic space until we get past Roche."

She keyed in the parameters for their flight, then sat back to let the guidance system doing its thing in making the various calculations for the legs of the jump. As Lianna was clear in another quadrant, it would take some time for the computer to finish. Such distance also an extended trip where Arisa would have time to get quite acquainted with the Archangel representative. At this point, she was almost certain she was, in fact, dealing with a replicant, that would prove to be an interesting experience.

"So, I won't have a co-pilot, and you seem pretty capable, so if you'd like to stick with me in the cockpit, then that would be fine. If not, then enjoy the passenger cabins in the back."

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]